14" Utaspis Trilobite Multiple Plate - Marjum Formation, Utah

Utaspis Trilobite Multiple Plate - Marjum Formation, Utah #106186

This is a multiple plate of a fairly scarce trilobite from the Marjum Formation of Utah, Utaspis marjumensis. About 95+% of them are molts, so finding them with cheeks, especially a multiple is rare. This 14x9" slab of shale has four mostly complete individuals as well as several pieces including a head of a very rare Olenoides pugio. Unfortunately the shell preservation of the trilobites from this layer wasn't that great. That is the reason, why the price of this Utaspis is significantly less expensive than you might expect given the scarcity of complete specimens. This specimen was personally collected from a lease in the House Range in Utah several years ago.

Collecting the interbedded shales and limestones of the Marjum Formation

About Trilobites

Trilobites are an extinct class of marine arthropods that thrived for nearly 270 million years, from the early Cambrian to the end of the Permian period (around 521 to 252 million years ago). They are one of the most successful and diverse groups in the history of life, with over 25,000 described species spanning a wide range of sizes, shapes, and ecological niches. Known for their distinctive, segmented exoskeletons, trilobites provide invaluable insights into the evolutionary history of arthropods and the dynamics of ancient marine ecosystems.

More About Trilobites